0:00:04 > 0:00:09'My name is Rachel Khoo. I'm a food writer and a cook.'
0:00:10 > 0:00:11Wow!
0:00:11 > 0:00:14'My passion is for French food cooked simply,
0:00:14 > 0:00:16'the way Parisians do at home.'
0:00:17 > 0:00:21I think there's still this cliche of French food
0:00:21 > 0:00:24where you think it's complicated.
0:00:24 > 0:00:27My cooking is no fuss, just enjoyable.
0:00:29 > 0:00:32Oh no, it fell in!
0:00:32 > 0:00:34After training here as a chef,
0:00:34 > 0:00:38I opened the smallest restaurant in Paris, in my tiny flat.
0:00:40 > 0:00:46It was always really flattering that Parisians liked my French food.
0:00:46 > 0:00:48Superb.
0:00:48 > 0:00:50Fantastic, really.
0:00:50 > 0:00:54'In this series, I'm going to take the fear out of French cooking.'
0:00:54 > 0:00:56THEY SPEAK FRENCH
0:00:58 > 0:01:01From gorgeous patisserie and quick-to-do dishes,
0:01:01 > 0:01:03to classic suppers with a twist,
0:01:03 > 0:01:07this is French food the way Parisians cook and eat it.
0:01:07 > 0:01:09C'est tout, that's it.
0:01:16 > 0:01:20I left my Croydon home behind many years ago to come to Paris
0:01:20 > 0:01:23and train at the world-famous, Le Cordon Bleu.
0:01:23 > 0:01:28Living here, you soon realise it's a culinary melting pot.
0:01:28 > 0:01:30It's unlike anywhere else in France.
0:01:30 > 0:01:33The influence of so many cultures
0:01:33 > 0:01:39and sheer range of ingredients, make the capital truly the city of food.
0:01:39 > 0:01:44I definitely think in Paris, you're a bit spoilt for amazing produce.
0:01:44 > 0:01:46There's fresh food markets in every neighbourhood.
0:01:46 > 0:01:48- What kind of spices do you have on that one?- Moroccan.
0:01:48 > 0:01:50Moroccan spices?
0:01:50 > 0:01:54And you still can go to these little shops which are specialised.
0:01:54 > 0:01:58The cheesemonger, the fishmonger and you have a personal relationship.
0:01:58 > 0:02:00- Rachel!- Bonjour.
0:02:00 > 0:02:04And they pass on their passion and you learn things.
0:02:04 > 0:02:05Everybody has a point of view on food.
0:02:09 > 0:02:12Most people live here in tiny apartments
0:02:12 > 0:02:14and there are some big challenges to overcome.
0:02:15 > 0:02:19It's quite small. Look.
0:02:19 > 0:02:21I'm short and I can do this.
0:02:22 > 0:02:25So you get a sense of how big it is.
0:02:25 > 0:02:29This kitchen is the beating heart of my restaurant
0:02:29 > 0:02:32and to make it work, I've had to keep it simple.
0:02:32 > 0:02:35Will it close? It does.
0:02:35 > 0:02:36Woo hoo!
0:02:36 > 0:02:39Tonight, I'm going to cook some mouth-watering treats
0:02:39 > 0:02:43and I'm starting with one of my favourites.
0:02:43 > 0:02:45A simple twist on a classic French recipe.
0:02:47 > 0:02:50The Parisians absolutely love croque madame
0:02:50 > 0:02:52and I love them too,
0:02:52 > 0:02:54but I like to make them a bit different
0:02:54 > 0:02:57and put them in a little muffin tin.
0:02:57 > 0:02:58The croque madame
0:02:58 > 0:03:02is the Parisian version of a British bacon buttie,
0:03:02 > 0:03:04but here, it's more of a lunchtime snack.
0:03:04 > 0:03:07First thing I need to do is make my bechamel sauce.
0:03:08 > 0:03:12I need my pot which is hanging in its special home.
0:03:14 > 0:03:16I'm going to start off with a tablespoon of butter.
0:03:20 > 0:03:24Tablespoon of flour. In it goes.
0:03:24 > 0:03:26Grab a whisk.
0:03:28 > 0:03:31Flour and butter melted together is called a roux
0:03:31 > 0:03:34and the roux will thicken up our bechamel sauce.
0:03:35 > 0:03:41'Pour 200 millilitres of milk slowly to avoid getting any lumps.'
0:03:42 > 0:03:47'Add nutmeg and Dijon mustard, then season and that's it.
0:03:47 > 0:03:49'My little take on the classic bechamel.'
0:03:49 > 0:03:51That's perfect.
0:03:51 > 0:03:54OK, now to making our muffin cup.
0:03:54 > 0:03:57We're going to use sliced white bread,
0:03:57 > 0:04:02which is not something you tend to eat in Paris.
0:04:02 > 0:04:04They have some beautiful baguettes,
0:04:04 > 0:04:08so, sliced white bread - hmm.
0:04:08 > 0:04:09Don't tell the Parisians.
0:04:09 > 0:04:12OK, slice the crust off.
0:04:17 > 0:04:19'Now grab a rolling pin
0:04:19 > 0:04:21'and flatten the bread to about half the thickness.'
0:04:21 > 0:04:24I wonder if I could do two at the same time.
0:04:24 > 0:04:27Oh, yeah, you can do two at the same time.
0:04:27 > 0:04:29Just discovered that.
0:04:30 > 0:04:32And then to get that croque crisp,
0:04:32 > 0:04:36coat the bread in butter to stop it getting soggy.
0:04:36 > 0:04:40No crunch, no croque.
0:04:40 > 0:04:43OK, all my bread slices are in there.
0:04:43 > 0:04:45I'm going to put some ham in.
0:04:46 > 0:04:49If you don't want to use ham, you can leave it out.
0:04:49 > 0:04:51It's really nice just with the creamy sauce,
0:04:51 > 0:04:53the egg and the cheese sprinkled on top.
0:04:57 > 0:05:02OK, for the eggs, ideally, you want to have a really small egg,
0:05:02 > 0:05:06but these are the regular size I can get in Paris.
0:05:07 > 0:05:11I'm going to do a little trick, which is you crack it open
0:05:11 > 0:05:14and then pour out some of the egg white.
0:05:16 > 0:05:21If you put the whole egg in there, then it'll overfill the muffin tin
0:05:21 > 0:05:23and you won't have any room for the sauce.
0:05:23 > 0:05:27OK, I'm going to add my bechamel sauce.
0:05:27 > 0:05:29A tablespoon of sauce.
0:05:35 > 0:05:40OK, I'm going to grab my grater.
0:05:40 > 0:05:41Cheese.
0:05:41 > 0:05:46Can't have the croque madame muffins without a bit of cheese on top.
0:05:46 > 0:05:49I'm using a Gruyere but you could use a mature Comte,
0:05:49 > 0:05:51which is one of the favourite cheeses for Parisians.
0:05:51 > 0:05:55The English equivalent would be a nice mature cheddar,
0:05:55 > 0:05:57a lot of flavour in there.
0:05:57 > 0:06:01I think that's enough cheese on there. There's a little bit left.
0:06:01 > 0:06:05I'm going to have that. Yum! I love cheese.
0:06:05 > 0:06:07OK, finishing touches.
0:06:10 > 0:06:12A bit of melted butter on the edges.
0:06:13 > 0:06:17Put your muffins in the oven at 180 degrees for 15 minutes.
0:06:17 > 0:06:21If you don't like the egg runny, then keep them in for another five.
0:06:22 > 0:06:25That smells really good.
0:06:32 > 0:06:33Let's have a look.
0:06:35 > 0:06:39Oh, wow! That's pretty amazing.
0:06:40 > 0:06:42Sometimes, it's the simplest of dishes
0:06:42 > 0:06:45that gives you the most pleasure.
0:06:45 > 0:06:48And this one really brings me a little joie de vivre.
0:06:48 > 0:06:49CRUNCHING
0:06:49 > 0:06:51Can you hear that crunching?
0:06:54 > 0:06:56That's a croque madame muffin.
0:07:01 > 0:07:04I live in a so-called up and coming part of Paris
0:07:04 > 0:07:08called Belleville or beautiful town.
0:07:08 > 0:07:11But in reality, this area is a little rough around the edges.
0:07:14 > 0:07:16It's home to a large North African community
0:07:16 > 0:07:19who settled here from France's former colonies.
0:07:19 > 0:07:21Superb, merci.
0:07:21 > 0:07:23Like most districts in Paris,
0:07:23 > 0:07:26Belleville has a twice weekly food market.
0:07:26 > 0:07:29Oui. Superb.
0:07:29 > 0:07:34The North African influence brings with it a wide variety of flavours.
0:07:34 > 0:07:37- Last one, last one.- You try?
0:07:37 > 0:07:40No, thank you. I'm good for eating.
0:07:40 > 0:07:44Merci, monsieur. Au revoir.
0:07:44 > 0:07:47I'm here searching for some mint
0:07:47 > 0:07:51and this is the place to find it, as it's popular in Moroccan cooking.
0:07:51 > 0:07:56I am making a lamb stew and I need some mint.
0:07:56 > 0:07:59- Three bunches, please.- Yes.
0:08:02 > 0:08:05Yes. It's good mint.
0:08:05 > 0:08:11- Good mojito, uh?- Yes, good mojito.
0:08:11 > 0:08:13Bye, au revoir.
0:08:18 > 0:08:24Most people think French stews, they think of really heavy winter stews.
0:08:24 > 0:08:29Winter season is over and now what's in fashion, is a spring stew.
0:08:29 > 0:08:32What we're going to do, is a light stew
0:08:32 > 0:08:34which has a light broth
0:08:34 > 0:08:39with lots of green, fresh vegetables and spring lamb.
0:08:43 > 0:08:47Start off by putting garlic and half an onion into a big casserole pot.
0:08:47 > 0:08:52I'm a bit lazy, so I try and put everything in one pot.
0:08:52 > 0:08:56Anything to save washing up, that's my motto.
0:08:56 > 0:09:00I've got a cut of lamb which is fairly cheap. The neck.
0:09:00 > 0:09:04The great thing about the neck part, is it has the bone,
0:09:04 > 0:09:08which gives you the rich stock and a bit of fat.
0:09:08 > 0:09:11That's a perfect combination for a stew.
0:09:11 > 0:09:14Searing the lamb will caramelise the sugars
0:09:14 > 0:09:18that come to the outside of the meat and create extra flavour.
0:09:18 > 0:09:19You can actually smell it.
0:09:19 > 0:09:23When the meat starts to brown, it gives off that rich, meaty smell.
0:09:24 > 0:09:27Makes you very hungry.
0:09:29 > 0:09:32While that's browning, I'm going to grab two carrots.
0:09:36 > 0:09:39I'm going to get my other bits and bobs.
0:09:40 > 0:09:44'My makeshift herb box is just the job in my little flat,
0:09:44 > 0:09:48'as I'm going to need some bay leaf and thyme for the stew.
0:09:48 > 0:09:51'Now add enough cold water to cover the meat.
0:09:51 > 0:09:55'No need for stock, as the herbs and flavour from the meat do the job.'
0:09:55 > 0:10:00I'm going to put the lid on that. And that's that.
0:10:00 > 0:10:04Just let that simmer along and in two hours, you have dinner ready.
0:10:05 > 0:10:09'In the meantime, start making the mint sauce.
0:10:09 > 0:10:13'This couldn't be simpler and it's so tasty.
0:10:13 > 0:10:14'Chop the mint finely.'
0:10:17 > 0:10:20'Add a teaspoon of salt and sugar,
0:10:20 > 0:10:24'some hot water and white wine vinegar.
0:10:24 > 0:10:28'The French might serve this with Dijon mustard,
0:10:28 > 0:10:31'but for me, it's got to be the mint.'
0:10:33 > 0:10:35'Then leave it in the fridge to chill.'
0:10:35 > 0:10:38Voila.
0:10:38 > 0:10:43'Then sit back, relax and let that stew scrumptious magic happen.'
0:10:47 > 0:10:50Wow! That certainly smells good.
0:10:52 > 0:10:57So, I think we can finish off with some fresh vegetables.
0:10:57 > 0:10:59Now I'm going to add the beans.
0:10:59 > 0:11:01I'm using beans and peas.
0:11:01 > 0:11:04These are classic ingredients for this type of French stew.
0:11:04 > 0:11:09To make it more filling, you could use broad beans and new potatoes.
0:11:09 > 0:11:11That's looking very spring-like with that bright green colour
0:11:11 > 0:11:12and the orange.
0:11:12 > 0:11:15Lamb and mint sauce,
0:11:15 > 0:11:17the French always go, "You've got to be kidding."
0:11:17 > 0:11:24They can't comprehend that idea of putting mint sauce with meat.
0:11:24 > 0:11:25It's like, "Urgh!"
0:11:25 > 0:11:28OK, I think the vegetables are done.
0:11:28 > 0:11:31Yeah, they look great.
0:11:31 > 0:11:33Turn it off because it's all cooked.
0:11:37 > 0:11:40Mmm! That's really good.
0:11:40 > 0:11:42For me, that doesn't need any seasoning,
0:11:42 > 0:11:45because you have the lovely meaty flavours from the lamb,
0:11:45 > 0:11:47the carrots, which add sweetness
0:11:47 > 0:11:50and then you've got the bay leaf and the thyme.
0:11:50 > 0:11:52That's perfectly flavoured for me.
0:11:54 > 0:11:56So, there's my spring lamb stew
0:11:56 > 0:12:00with a dollop of home-made mint sauce.
0:12:01 > 0:12:04A simple but much loved Parisian supper.
0:12:05 > 0:12:08And with a big helping of mint sauce,
0:12:08 > 0:12:09it's a little taste of home.
0:12:16 > 0:12:20My food is influenced by classic French dishes,
0:12:20 > 0:12:22but living in this cosmopolitan capital,
0:12:22 > 0:12:26you don't have to go far to find inspiration.
0:12:29 > 0:12:32I'm meeting Abdul Bijoux at his Moroccan cafe.
0:12:32 > 0:12:36He's going to show me another use for fresh mint.
0:12:40 > 0:12:43I drink mint tea with every French dish I can eat.
0:12:43 > 0:12:45No problem,
0:12:45 > 0:12:50because Muslim people don't drink alcohol like French with their meat.
0:12:50 > 0:12:53You can add pine nuts, almonds or lemon to your tea
0:12:53 > 0:12:56but Abdel's going to show me the classic recipe.
0:12:56 > 0:13:00- What's the first step? - The first step. You take the tea.
0:13:00 > 0:13:05Green tea, you put three teaspoons.
0:13:05 > 0:13:07Then you take the sugar.
0:13:07 > 0:13:13- To make a pot of tea this size, you'll need six sugars.- Come again?
0:13:13 > 0:13:17Six cubes of sugar? Moroccan people have a sweet tooth?
0:13:17 > 0:13:19Yes, they like sweet things.
0:13:19 > 0:13:24OK, then three branches of mint.
0:13:24 > 0:13:26- Fresh mint?- It is really important.
0:13:26 > 0:13:30You can't have dry mint because there is not all the perfume.
0:13:30 > 0:13:34You squash it and you put it in the teapot.
0:13:34 > 0:13:37Then, you add the water.
0:13:37 > 0:13:38- So this is boiling water?- Yeah.
0:13:38 > 0:13:43You can already smell some of the mint. Wow.
0:13:43 > 0:13:45Now, you just have two wait.
0:13:45 > 0:13:47Leave the tea to boil for about ten minutes
0:13:47 > 0:13:51or until the green tea leaves float to the top.
0:13:51 > 0:13:53Show me the magic.
0:13:53 > 0:13:56'With the tea done, there's the art of pouring.'
0:13:56 > 0:13:59- OK, I can see you're pouring it from up high.- Yeah.
0:13:59 > 0:14:02Is there a reason why you do that?
0:14:02 > 0:14:08First, it's to mix the water and the sugar. OK?
0:14:08 > 0:14:12- And then you have to cool it. - So you do it twice?- Yes.
0:14:12 > 0:14:16- So it's not all sweet at the bottom. - Yes.- That's ready to drink.
0:14:16 > 0:14:18- All right.- Have a nice tea.
0:14:18 > 0:14:20Thank you.
0:14:20 > 0:14:25'The perfect after-dinner drink to serve your guests.'
0:14:28 > 0:14:32My flat is a triumph in making the most of a small space.
0:14:34 > 0:14:36One of the things which is a bit annoying,
0:14:36 > 0:14:39I have to do every day is fold out my futon.
0:14:39 > 0:14:42I have a futon bed, so you fold it out every day,
0:14:42 > 0:14:44you put your bed on there,
0:14:44 > 0:14:46you go to sleep, and in the morning you've got to put it back.
0:14:46 > 0:14:50If you don't put the bed away, you're literally cooking in bed.
0:14:50 > 0:14:52And that's not good.
0:14:56 > 0:14:59But by night, my modest home is transformed
0:14:59 > 0:15:02into a magical little restaurant for two.
0:15:02 > 0:15:06- It's so good.- Thanks. - It's juicy, it's...
0:15:08 > 0:15:10People come from all over the world
0:15:10 > 0:15:15and they are always really surprised that A, an English girl can cook,
0:15:15 > 0:15:17B, she can cook French food,
0:15:17 > 0:15:21and C, she can cook French food which is delicious
0:15:21 > 0:15:24on a little stove with a little oven like that.
0:15:26 > 0:15:29Even though I love serving home-cooked French classics,
0:15:29 > 0:15:32I always enjoy giving them my own twist.
0:15:32 > 0:15:35Just like my next recipe.
0:15:38 > 0:15:42Coq au vin. French classic, everybody knows about it.
0:15:42 > 0:15:44I am doing a coq au vin,
0:15:44 > 0:15:45but I'm doing it a bit differently.
0:15:45 > 0:15:48I'm going to do a summery version, so we're going to put the coq au vin
0:15:48 > 0:15:50all on a barbecue stick,
0:15:50 > 0:15:53make a lovely little red wine marinade
0:15:53 > 0:15:55and turn that into a beautiful sauce to go with it.
0:15:55 > 0:16:02We're going to start off by cutting our chicken into large chunks.
0:16:02 > 0:16:05I have got chicken thigh here, which has been taken off the bone.
0:16:05 > 0:16:08I would definitely recommend not using chicken breasts.
0:16:08 > 0:16:11There is a lot more flavour in chicken thigh,
0:16:11 > 0:16:13and also it's cheaper than chicken breast.
0:16:15 > 0:16:20The next ingredient is the lardon, which is a smoked bacon.
0:16:20 > 0:16:22The lardons have a lovely smoky taste
0:16:22 > 0:16:25and that's essential to a coq au vin.
0:16:27 > 0:16:28So, to start the marinade,
0:16:28 > 0:16:33soften one chopped onion in some butter, then add garlic,
0:16:33 > 0:16:36some thyme and a couple of bay leaves.
0:16:36 > 0:16:40You want to cook this until it gets a lovely golden brown colour.
0:16:40 > 0:16:43My take on coq au vin
0:16:43 > 0:16:45might have some French foodies in a stew.
0:16:45 > 0:16:49Most people say it's not a coq au vin,
0:16:49 > 0:16:53but it has all the ingredients in it, it is a coq au vin,
0:16:53 > 0:16:57but just a different presentation. Now we can add our red wine.
0:16:57 > 0:17:01500 millilitres, which is like a bottle minus a glass for yourself.
0:17:01 > 0:17:06And we're going to let that simmer for ten minutes.
0:17:06 > 0:17:10And if you've got a minuscule kitchen like mine,
0:17:10 > 0:17:14you can use the time to tidy up the mess you've just made.
0:17:14 > 0:17:16TIMER RINGS
0:17:18 > 0:17:20That's simmered for ten minutes.
0:17:20 > 0:17:24Leave the sauce to cool off then pour all over the meat
0:17:24 > 0:17:26so the flavours can infuse into the chicken.
0:17:26 > 0:17:29Clingfilm.
0:17:29 > 0:17:31Goes in the fridge for at least four hours
0:17:31 > 0:17:33or even better overnight.
0:17:43 > 0:17:45You can see the meat has started
0:17:45 > 0:17:50to take on the red, purple-y colour from the wine.
0:17:50 > 0:17:52That's exactly what we want.
0:17:52 > 0:17:55Now we're ready to assemble our skewers.
0:17:55 > 0:17:57We need a few other ingredients.
0:17:57 > 0:18:02I have some mushrooms, potatoes, carrots and onions.
0:18:04 > 0:18:07'Before you start, make sure you parboil your root veg,
0:18:07 > 0:18:09'otherwise, they won't cook properly.
0:18:09 > 0:18:13'Then load the skewers in whatever order you want.'
0:18:13 > 0:18:16OK. The chicken is on the skewers.
0:18:16 > 0:18:18I have got my leftover red wine marinade.
0:18:18 > 0:18:21We're not going to throw it away,
0:18:21 > 0:18:23we're actually going to make a sauce out of it.
0:18:23 > 0:18:27You need 300 mls of the marinade.
0:18:30 > 0:18:35Let that reduce by half. This will intensify the flavour.
0:18:36 > 0:18:39Then add a tablespoon of cornflour mixed with a little water.
0:18:39 > 0:18:44And a teaspoon of sugar.
0:18:44 > 0:18:46A splash of red wine vinegar.
0:18:48 > 0:18:50And salt and pepper to taste.
0:18:52 > 0:18:53Let's have a taste.
0:18:56 > 0:18:57Mmm. That's good.
0:18:57 > 0:19:00That's your sauce done.
0:19:00 > 0:19:02Rub some olive oil into the skewers
0:19:02 > 0:19:05and they're ready for the blistering hot griddle.
0:19:06 > 0:19:09You want that sizzling noise when you put them down.
0:19:09 > 0:19:11See it sizzling and smoking?
0:19:14 > 0:19:16So, about five minutes on each side.
0:19:16 > 0:19:19Yay! Look.
0:19:26 > 0:19:28When it starts cooking, you get all these smells
0:19:28 > 0:19:32and it is really mouth-watering. It's done.
0:19:38 > 0:19:41And that is pretty much ready to eat.
0:19:41 > 0:19:43That's your coq au vin on a stick.
0:19:43 > 0:19:45And if you'd like to know more
0:19:45 > 0:19:49about any of the recipes in the programme then log on to -
0:19:57 > 0:19:59Paris is heavenly for produce,
0:19:59 > 0:20:04but sometimes you have to look in the most surprising places.
0:20:04 > 0:20:08For the next dish, there's one ingredient I just can't do without.
0:20:08 > 0:20:12On top of Grand Palais is Paris's most unusual honey farm.
0:20:12 > 0:20:14Bonjour.
0:20:14 > 0:20:16THEY SPEAK IN FRENCH
0:20:16 > 0:20:20Super-excited about going up on the roof.
0:20:20 > 0:20:23- Let's go in my office. - Yes, let's go.
0:20:23 > 0:20:28Nicolas Geant has been keeping bees up here for four years.
0:20:32 > 0:20:33Merci.
0:20:33 > 0:20:36Wow!
0:20:36 > 0:20:40The Grand Palais was originally built over 100 years ago
0:20:40 > 0:20:44and because of its central location, the honey has a distinctive taste.
0:20:46 > 0:20:48It's a pretty cool office you have.
0:20:48 > 0:20:53'There are over 400 parks in Paris bursting full of exotic flowers.
0:20:53 > 0:20:55'This makes the honey taste very different
0:20:55 > 0:20:58'to anything you can find outside of the capital.'
0:20:58 > 0:21:01Over there you have Notre Dame.
0:21:04 > 0:21:09- Be careful, follow me. - OK. You don't mind? Thank you.
0:21:09 > 0:21:11I have lived here for six years,
0:21:11 > 0:21:14but I have never seen Paris like this before.
0:21:15 > 0:21:17Due to the time of year,
0:21:17 > 0:21:20the bees are safe and sound in their hives.
0:21:20 > 0:21:23- They are just here.- Yes, I can see.
0:21:23 > 0:21:28But now it's winter, bees don't go out because it's too cold.
0:21:28 > 0:21:32- We can't open now, because if I open, it will kill them.- No.
0:21:32 > 0:21:38In the countryside, bees produce less honey than here.
0:21:38 > 0:21:42Here we can produce around 30 kilograms per year.
0:21:42 > 0:21:45In the countryside, only ten kilograms.
0:21:45 > 0:21:49'Nicolas tells me the bees produce more honey in Paris
0:21:49 > 0:21:51'thanks to the greater variety of flora
0:21:51 > 0:21:54'and because pesticides are banned in the city.'
0:21:54 > 0:21:57I really love the idea of keeping bees in the city
0:21:57 > 0:22:02and I think it's absolutely beautiful to be up here.
0:22:02 > 0:22:05- But I really want to try some of your honey.- OK, no problem.
0:22:05 > 0:22:08I have got for you honey from here and another honey,
0:22:08 > 0:22:12for example, it's an orange honey, a good honey,
0:22:12 > 0:22:14but a very different taste.
0:22:14 > 0:22:19'First up, is the orange honey which comes from the countryside.'
0:22:19 > 0:22:20Merci.
0:22:24 > 0:22:26That one, already it's like, whoo!
0:22:26 > 0:22:31It kind of... It's very overpowering in your mouth.
0:22:31 > 0:22:32It's very bold.
0:22:33 > 0:22:36'The taste has a real citrus kick
0:22:36 > 0:22:39'as the bees that produce it live only in orange groves.'
0:22:42 > 0:22:44'Next up is Nicolas' city honey.'
0:22:49 > 0:22:51It's very subtle, it's not...
0:22:51 > 0:22:53It's not as hard as this one.
0:22:53 > 0:22:56Exactly. Some honeys are very overpowering in flavour,
0:22:56 > 0:22:59this is very light.
0:22:59 > 0:23:03It's the kind of honey you can use for baking,
0:23:03 > 0:23:05for eating on your toast.
0:23:05 > 0:23:09And with yoghurt for example, it is very good.
0:23:09 > 0:23:14City honey sells for three times the price of regular honey
0:23:14 > 0:23:17making it one of the most expensive in France.
0:23:17 > 0:23:21I have this really yummy madeleine recipe
0:23:21 > 0:23:23where I need to use some honey.
0:23:23 > 0:23:26I think your honey will be perfect for my recipe.
0:23:26 > 0:23:28- Do you think I could have that jar? - Of course.
0:23:28 > 0:23:31- It's for you.- Thank you. - You're welcome.
0:23:34 > 0:23:37The honey will come in handy for my next sweet treat.
0:23:37 > 0:23:40This recipe is a real part of Parisian culture.
0:23:40 > 0:23:42An afternoon snack for the children
0:23:42 > 0:23:45and a blissful childhood memory for the grown-ups.
0:23:49 > 0:23:52If you really want to impress your friends
0:23:52 > 0:23:55with a Parisian teatime treat, then I've got the recipe for you.
0:23:57 > 0:24:01'My motto it is, butter makes everything better.
0:24:01 > 0:24:04'So take your time and let 200 grams melt slowly.
0:24:04 > 0:24:07'Then it's on to the sweet stuff.'
0:24:07 > 0:24:09Plain caster sugar, 130 grams.
0:24:09 > 0:24:11Three eggs.
0:24:11 > 0:24:16Let's do some whisking, some hardcore whisking.
0:24:16 > 0:24:18We're going to get a little workout here.
0:24:18 > 0:24:23You just want to whisk it until it's pale and fluffy.
0:24:23 > 0:24:26This is a great workout to combat bingo wings.
0:24:26 > 0:24:29I've got a tired arm!
0:24:29 > 0:24:32If you have an electric whisk, you can do it with that,
0:24:32 > 0:24:37but otherwise have a bit of a workout.
0:24:39 > 0:24:43I think we're there. The butter's melted. It's hot!
0:24:43 > 0:24:48'When your fingers have cooled down, mix the dry ingredients.'
0:24:48 > 0:24:52200 grams of plain flour, baking powder.
0:24:55 > 0:24:59I am going to zest my lemon. Just going for the top layer.
0:24:59 > 0:25:01Smells really good.
0:25:02 > 0:25:06We've got the honey from the Grand Palais beekeeper
0:25:06 > 0:25:08and then I need 60 millilitres of milk.
0:25:08 > 0:25:13And it's not semi-skimmed or skimmed,
0:25:13 > 0:25:14this is full fat.
0:25:16 > 0:25:19French patisserie, you do everything full fat.
0:25:19 > 0:25:21Nothing half measures.
0:25:21 > 0:25:23If you're going to do a cake, you might as well do it well.
0:25:23 > 0:25:25Diet cakes, out the window.
0:25:25 > 0:25:27Just whisk it in.
0:25:30 > 0:25:33OK, I'm going to add the flour.
0:25:33 > 0:25:35'While training at Le Cordon Bleu,
0:25:35 > 0:25:38'they taught me a special technique when stirring.'
0:25:38 > 0:25:41At school you have to move with the bowl.
0:25:44 > 0:25:46Don't worry if you spot little lumps in there,
0:25:46 > 0:25:49it's more likely to be little bits of lemon zest.
0:25:49 > 0:25:51Yay.
0:25:51 > 0:25:54Then we're going to cover it and put it in the fridge.
0:25:56 > 0:25:59'That's if there's any room, of course.'
0:26:01 > 0:26:04BANGING AND CLATTERING
0:26:05 > 0:26:08Will it close? It does.
0:26:08 > 0:26:10- SHE LAUGHS - Woohoo!
0:26:15 > 0:26:20'Traditional madeleines are always baked in shell-shaped moulds.
0:26:20 > 0:26:24'But if you don't have one, you can use a mini muffin tin.'
0:26:24 > 0:26:26I am going to use a piping bag.
0:26:26 > 0:26:30I'm going to grab my cocktail shaker from up here.
0:26:33 > 0:26:37The great thing about that is you've got two hands
0:26:37 > 0:26:39to help put your dough in.
0:26:39 > 0:26:42What we're looking to do to fill our madeleine tins,
0:26:42 > 0:26:47you're kind of filling it just a little bit below the shell shape.
0:26:47 > 0:26:50So, you're not filling it right to the brim.
0:26:55 > 0:26:57Raspberries go in the middle.
0:26:57 > 0:27:00'The French sometimes dip these in chocolate,
0:27:00 > 0:27:03'but I think my raspberry and lemon version
0:27:03 > 0:27:06'adds a little modern twist to a classic.'
0:27:06 > 0:27:07You want the hollow bit facing up
0:27:07 > 0:27:10because we're going to pipe some lemon curd into there.
0:27:10 > 0:27:13We are going to put these into the oven.
0:27:21 > 0:27:24Let's have a look at our madeleines. Are they done?
0:27:24 > 0:27:28Lovely, golden round the edges.
0:27:28 > 0:27:30Still a little pale in the middle.
0:27:30 > 0:27:32To make them extra-special,
0:27:32 > 0:27:35I'm going to pipe a little bit of lemon curd into the middle.
0:27:36 > 0:27:42You take your madeleine and then you just pipe it where the hole is.
0:27:42 > 0:27:44And you want to pipe
0:27:44 > 0:27:47the lemon curd into your madeleines while they are still warm.
0:27:47 > 0:27:51Piping the curd when the cakes are hot will help the curd
0:27:51 > 0:27:55to melt through the sponge and make the cakes extra moist.
0:27:55 > 0:27:59Mmm! Very, very yummy.
0:28:07 > 0:28:10'I can't resist madeleines straight from the oven,
0:28:10 > 0:28:13'and nor it seems can my friends.'
0:28:13 > 0:28:15Mmm, mmm, mmm!
0:28:15 > 0:28:18'For an English girl like me,
0:28:18 > 0:28:20'afternoon tea doesn't get any better.
0:28:22 > 0:28:26'Good home-cooked French food, like Paris itself,
0:28:26 > 0:28:30'should stimulate your senses and leave you wanting more.'
0:28:30 > 0:28:33Next week, I serve up my twist on boeuf bourguignon.
0:28:33 > 0:28:38Find out why the legendary baguette beats the British loaf...
0:28:38 > 0:28:42Your bread and French bread, the biggest difference is in the crust.
0:28:42 > 0:28:44Two-thirds of the taste is in the crust.
0:28:44 > 0:28:47..and I bake the lightest choux pastry puffs in Paris.
0:28:47 > 0:28:50I might just have one right now.
0:28:50 > 0:28:51Mmm.
0:29:10 > 0:29:14Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd